Air chief marshal A P Singh takes charge as new chief of air staff

NEW DELHI: Air chief marshal Amar Preet Singh, a seasoned fighter pilot with an impressive flying experience exceeding 5,000 hours, assumed the role of the new chief of the Indian Air Force on Monday, taking over from the outgoing air chief marshal V R Chaudhari. Prior to this appointment, air chief marshal Singh served as the Vice Chief of the Air Force.Air chief marshal Chaudhari concluded his three-year tenure as the head of the force and retired from service.Singh, born on October 27, 1964, joined the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984. Throughout his extensive and illustrious career spanning nearly four decades, he has held various command, staff, instructional, and foreign positions.A graduate of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, and National Defence College, the air officer is not only a qualified flying instructor but also an experimental test pilot. His flying experience encompasses a wide range of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, totaling more than 5,000 hours.During his career, Singh has led an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base. As a test pilot, he spearheaded the MiG-29 upgrade project management team in Moscow. Additionally, he served as the project director (flight test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he was responsible for flight testing the Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas.Singh assumes command of the IAF amidst concerns regarding delays in the delivery of the LCA Tejas-Mark 1A variant to the force by the state-owned aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).The officer has held significant staff positions, including air defence commander at South Western Air Command and senior air staff officer at Eastern Air Command. Before taking on the role of vice chief of the Air Staff in February last year, he served as the air officer commanding-in-chief of Central Air Command.Singh's distinguished service has been recognised with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal. Known for his dedication to fitness, Singh enjoys playing squash in his leisure time.